An update on the age distribution of prostate cancer

The median age keeps slipping downward. Recent SEER statistics show the median age at diagnosis is 66. When I started checking these age-related statistics the median age was 68.

Still, 0.0% are diagnosed under the age of 35. This is not, despite the occasional outlier, a young man's disease.  At the time of my diagnosis (age 43) I was in a rarefied group. Only 0.6% of patients are diagnosed between 35 and 44.

The median age at death is 80.  That has not changed.

Well, this is interesting.

Test for Postoperative Radiation Response in Prostate Cancer

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/871062

Had a PSA test done as part of an employer-sponsored health screening.  Less than 0.1 as usual.

Now 10 years from diagnosis and surgery, nearly 9 years from salvage radiation (SRT).  PSA has been undetectable on the standard assay since September 2007.

Now 8 years out from end of salvage radiation, PSA still less than 0.1

Slowly approaching the "C" line on the asymptote. C as in cured.

A Johns Hopkins study showed that if you make it to 10 years with an undetectable PSA, your odds of having a recurrence in the next 10 years are 6%.  And if you're unlucky enough to be in that 6%, your odds of developing metastatic cancer in that second 10 year window are still very small, and dying of it practically zero.

So I'm setting my sights on the 10 year mark, in 2017.  I'll be 55.

My PSA remains less than 0.1.
It was 8 years ago now that I was going to the hospital every morning, Monday through Friday, and laying down while the invisible X-rays did their magic. It was hard to believe something was actually happening to the cancer cells deep inside. But it was!  It was!

Listening for the canary.

Had my annual PSA draw this morning.  It's been 8 years since I underwent salvage radiation (SRT) for a rising PSA after prostatectomy.

Latest Salvage Radiation News

A small study indicates PSA doubling time of 6 months or less is predictive of failure after SRT.

http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/21681805.2014.982168